Tag Archives: Christ

In Times of Darkness – The Cross

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A Prayer for the World

Lord Jesus, let flow from Your precious wounds opened in Your Crucifixion and Death on the Cross, a fresh torrent of Love and Mercy upon the world.  Like stars lighting up the sky as did the Star of Bethlehem, let Your Light proceed from the nail holes in that eternal Wood on which you hung.  Planted Now in Heaven, may that Tree bear fruit ever sweet and fresh to the world for whose Sin You willingly died. Amen.

Words of Jesus to St. Faustina

“All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be a great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the Cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day.”

The Spiritual Passover

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From an ancient Easter homily by Pseudo-Chrysostom

The spiritual Passover

The Passover we celebrate brings salvation to the whole human race beginning with the first man, who together with all the others is saved and given life.

In an imperfect and transitory way, the types and images of the past prefigured the perfect and eternal reality which has now been revealed. The presence of what is represented makes the symbol obsolete: when the king appears in person no one pays reverence to his statue.

How far the symbol falls short of the reality is seen from the fact that the symbolic Passover celebrated the brief life of the firstborn of the Jews, whereas the real Passover celebrates the eternal life of all mankind. It is a small gain to escape death for a short time, only to die soon afterward; it is a very different thing to escape death altogether as we do through the sacrifice of Christ, our Passover.

Correctly understood, its very name shows why this is our greatest feast. It is called the Passover because, when he was striking down the firstborn, the destroying angel passed over the houses of the Hebrews, but it is even more true to say that he passes over us, for he does so once and for all when we are raised up by Christ to eternal life.

If we think only of the true Passover and ask why it is that the time of the Passover and the salvation of the firstborn is taken to be the beginning of the year, the answer must surely be that the sacrifice of the true Passover is for us the beginning of eternal life. Because it revolves in cycles and never comes to an end, the year is a symbol of eternity.

Christ, the sacrifice that was offered up for us, is the father of the world to come. He puts an end to our former life, and through the regenerating waters of baptism in which we imitate his death and resurrection, he gives us the beginning of a new life. The knowledge that Christ is the Passover lamb who was sacrificed for us should make us regard the moment of his immolation as the beginning of our own lives. As far as we are concerned, Christ’s immolation on our behalf takes place when we become aware of this grace and understand the life conferred on us by this sacrifice. Having once understood it, we should enter upon this new life with all eagerness and never return to the old one, which is now at an end. As Scripture says: We have died to sin—how then can we continue to live in it?

Divine Mercy Chaplet Song- Generations Unite in Prayer PART 2

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Divine Mercy Sunday

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How great are the gifts of God? How great is His Mercy? How great is the gift of faith?! May all the world come to know Him and the reign of His Mercy.

The Easter Praise of Christ

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From an Easter homily by Melito of Sardis, bishop

The Easter praise of Christ

We should understand, beloved, that the paschal mystery is at once old and new, transitory and eternal, corruptible and incorruptible, mortal and immortal. In terms of the Law it is old, in terms of the Word it is new. In its figure it is passing, in its grace it is eternal. It is corruptible in the sacrifice of the lamb, incorruptible in the eternal life of the Lord. It is mortal in his burial in the earth, immortal in his resurrection from the dead.

The Law indeed is old, but the Word is new. The type is transitory, but grace is eternal. The lamb was corruptible, but the Lord is incorruptible. He was slain as a lamb; he rose again as God. He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, yet he was not a sheep. He was silent as a lamb, yet he was not a lamb. The type has passed away; the reality has come. The lamb gives place to God, the sheep gives place to a man, and the man is Christ, who fills the whole of creation. The sacrifice of the lamb, the celebration of the Passover, and the prescriptions of the Law have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Under the old Law, and still more under the new dispensation, everything pointed toward him.

Both the Law and the Word came forth from Zion and Jerusalem, but now the Law has given place to the Word, the old to the new. The commandment has become grace, the type a reality. The lamb has become a Son, the sheep a man, and man, God.

The Lord, though he was God, became man. He suffered for the sake of those who suffer, he was bound for those in bonds, condemned for the guilty, buried for those who lie in the grave; but he rose from the dead, and cried aloud: Who will contend with me? Let him confront me. I have freed the condemned, brought the dead back to life, raised men from their graves. Who has anything to say against me? I, he said, am the Christ; I have destroyed death, triumphed over the enemy, trampled hell underfoot, bound the strong one, and taken men up to the heights of heaven: I am the Christ.

Come, then, all you nations of men, receive forgiveness for the sins that defile you. I am your forgiveness. I am the Passover that brings salvation. I am the lamb who was immolated for you. I am your ransom, your life, your resurrection, your light, I am your salvation and your king. I will bring you to the heights of heaven. With my own right hand I will raise you up, and I will show you the eternal Father.

Easter “Praises of God”

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Praises of God

  • You are encircling Love.
  • You are abiding strength
  • You are the constant “Hound of Heaven”
  • You are my Spouse, my Love.
  • You are my All-in-All.
  • You are my surrounding Presence.
  • You are the joy of my life.
  • You are my dearest Friend.
  • You are my “nudger” when I am weak.
  • You are my encouraging companion.
  • You fill my life with purpose and meaning.
  • You are gentle, caring and compassionate.
  • Your are beauty, sweet unction for my soul.
  • You are impregnating Presence filling all life.
  • You are my precious guide and protector.
  • You are my Counselor, my Lover, My Friend.
  • You are Wisdom, Truth and Peace.
  • You are so human and so divine.
  • You are mystery, urging us on.
  • You draw us to Your Father and give us Your Life-giving Spirit.
  • You keep showing us Your Mother to also honor and love.
  • You are filled with amazing surprises.
  • You mend our broken hearts, mind and body.
  • You are water for the thirsty.
  • You are bread for the hungry.
  • Your are Creator, Redeemer, Risen Lord.
  • You enflesh us with Your image and likeness, Your very life-giving breath.
  • You are healing when we humbly acknowledge our brokenness.
  • You are forgiving when we fail.
  • You sense our needs before we know them.
  • You are the hand that holds us close to Your Heart.
  • You are the Indwelling Presence that makes us special.
  • You are the Light that illumines our darkness.
  • You are peace  for longing, agonizing hearts.
  • You are the flower that perfumes our life.
  • Your are the smile that brings acceptance.
  • You are the most precious friend that we cannot so without.

Amen!  Amen!

by   Sister La Donna Pinkelman, OSF Sylvania, Ohio